TIGblogs - kabari O.P-Agara

James is a medical student of the unique Uniport (University of Port Harcourt, South-South of Nigeria), he is a very bright student, but not an all round-scholar. According to the porpular varsity graduation phrase a student should be found worthy in " character and learning" yes, learning but with character! Please, don't associate that unserious business of whiling away study time all in name of character building seminars, current affairs, relationship building books, journals and other issues outside the faculty of medicine, with James.

One day, His departmental head, organised an improntu social gathering. Every student shared the podium with him one after the other. The batton was handed to James aswell, he mounted the podium with fear and jittery, he started forcefully on this note, " life is all about Medicine, because without a normal and healthy phisiological structure aiding the spinal cord to support the celebral system, which is responsible for the interpretation of the various signals supplied by the five sensory organs, responsible and pivotal in the day to day activities of homo sapiens.......and to continue in the business The Lord God Almighty, consumated on the seventh day..... God ordered and commisioned the biological procreation prior to his rest and we must all see to the rescue of humanity from the prevalence of deadly diseases nobly. And also to do a complete bio-engineering of this processes by becoming true to the faith of our humble calling. As medical practioners...and because we are in the businesses of curring and healing, we are the next to God!"

You have read this great scholar and learner above. From your judgement do you think he is an average stundent? with such jaw breaking medicated words? For me and my small head, he isn't. James indeed is a serious student. He is a book rat, yes a book rat because calling him a bookworm may be an under statement. The H.O.D, also encouraged them to talk on the strenghts of any particular student of choice, out side the topic of the day: Intergrity & Best Practice in Medicine : A Buddin Doctor's Call to Nobility. Barile a secret admirer of James' Iintelligence, mounted the podium to discuss James. He had very little knowledge of James save his shy but active participation in classes. He could only summarise James as Mr. Seriousness. it was indeed a very brief description that inspired and challenged many. James Bowed his head in shame and ovation, as the Students chorused Mr. Seriousness! Mr. Seriousness! humourously. Barile was correct, because that was all Uniport knew of this Alfa and Omega of Knowledge. He is only porpular to the grasses and flower on the path connecting the College of Medicine, the Library, Hostel, Cafeteria and His Christian fellowship Centre where he was niether commited. He is always looking up, lost in memorizing his lecture notes on these paths, always walking briskly and seriously. He is Mr. Seriousness indeed.

Every body knew James will make a good grades but doubted his chances of relating with some impatient patients he may encounter in his clinic, nor manage his staff nurses or his wife and children aswell. James is not a good communicator and team player. Communication is the fuel of all human relationships. James was such a quik tempered person, he was very quick at judging students, in his secondary school days. His parameter of judgment then can not be farther imagined he was always challenging " how dare you me! when you can't solve this simplest arithmetic " He was the lord of intelligence in his own conceit, and as a lord he need not relate with lesser mortals that will demean his intelligence. His egoistic better-than-every-one father Mr. Williams, drummed this hellish philosophy into his ears and subconscious mind. He said he was an island of knowledge, the most intelligent scholar in the neighbourhood. In contrast James' mother was humble and soft-spoken, she died in an auto crash when James was eleven, on her way to Kirikiri maximum prison, Lagos, where Mr. Williams was remanded for assaulting a bank manager because of his arrogance.

Before the end of his House-manship, James was diagnose of insomnia (inability to sleep), but was medically okay. owing to the the so many demands on his time as a prospective finalyist he could not cope with the stress he was going through coupled with his ignorance in stress management techniques. He was advised to see the school's counsellor by a commited born-again christian room mate Felix. Felix, had preached to him before on the need of having christ as a plus factor for a good success. James did not only insult this young evangelist, he also used several better to be imagined than described words on him. Felix, is broad-minded and like Christ, he did not want to assume nor mind what James would say or do to him if he offered his suggestion. He felt NO MAN CAN OUT-LOVE CHRIST, and as a wise man he has known that great people are known the way they treat small people and should not judge today by yesterday.

James, for the first time felt strange, but even battles nuclear weapons cannot win, love had won. Felix tried his best to convince him for more than a week but James was as adamant as a Aso rock.
Felix had course to leave Nigeria for an accelerated Scholarship he got to further his studies in Fine & Applied Arts abroad three days later. when Jame's health detoriated, James without persuasion, went like a defeated King to seek the counsellor. Thank God Felix was right but out of the country, who knows wether James would have commited suicide to prove himself right and all-wise.

On one sunny Friday morning, the grasses and flowers of the world of the faculty of social sciences greeted James for the first time in about seven years. James realised he would need somebody to help show him the professor's office. His health was at stake, so he need'nt any body to remind him to lay off his iconoclastic philosophy of " I know it all" He did not know where to start from, he was confused because he is not used to adding value and meaning to other peoples' life. To him the world revolves arround his family circle and he cannot go out of the way like Jesus to please others and displease himself for a while.

Finnaly, he braced up to meet Tonye, a student of political science and public adninistration who directed him to the prof's office. Welcome gentleman, the prof. exclaimed, smilling at him, please take a seat. What do i owe this august visit in september, the prof. heralded openning wide wide his hands. Other students and friends of the prof. bursted into laughter. It was an august visit indeed, James could hardly believe the reality arround, that one can be a professor, make good grades, associate and mentor serious minded and accomplished people, serve God and still remain humourous. Yes the prof added some unseriousness to a very serious business. counselling and became fun and lively. Yes, funny & lively because even people with emotional wounds like James, that needed the touch of a social surgeon laughed for the first time and forgot his burden.
learning can be fun with the right tips and balance because to evry thing, there is a season, and a time for every purpose under the sun!

Will the Professor Still Counsell Him?
What will he tell James?
Will James Practice it?
Did James Graduate?
You have Not Read All!

There may be many more real lessons that can CHANGE your life entirely!
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